Letting Go
by Zoe tabbycat
Summary: When Mac and Stella's daughter was fatally injured in a car accident, the doctor told them the equipment were keeping her alive. Now, Mac and Stella are facing the most difficult decision they have to make, whether they should let their daughter go.


Letting Go

_A/N: Mac and Stella's daughter was fatally injured in a car accident, the doctor told them that it was only the equipment that was keeping her alive. Now, Mac and Stella are facing the most difficult decision they have to make, whether they should let their daughter go._

_This is dedicated to a friend of mine. She is only seven, but Encephalitis has put her in a coma for some time already. I really hope that she will wake up soon, and get better._

Sitting beside Kristine, Stella held the small, cold hands in her warm ones, hoping to warm them up. The scratches and bruises from the accident were clearly etched upon her face, but her eyes were closed, her expression serene.

Mac came into the room, his head down and tears brimming in his eyes. Stella looked up at him, her eyes begging for good news, but on seeing his expression, she knew whatever the doctor told him, it was not good.

'The doctor said, she's got a Glasgow Coma score of three.' Mac admitted, his heart breaking as he forced himself to utter the words.

Stella looked at him, horrified. 'But, that meant she's brain dead.'

Mac nodded his head. Coming into the room, he wrapped Stella in his arms as tears started to roll down her cheeks rapidly.

Mac just held her as he ran his hands down her back. At that moment, all he wanted to do was to break down with Stella, but he had to be strong. If not for Stella, then for Kristine, who was still lying on the white hospital bed, with hundreds of machine connected to her small body, all working together to keep her alive.

'What do we do now?' Stella asked, her voice trembling, as she continue to warm the small hands of her daughter.

Mac swallowed. He really didn't want to tell Stella what the doctor said.

'Stella, the doctor said… the doctor said she probably won't wake up, and maybe… maybe that it is time to let her go.' Mac told her, his voice cracking as he told Stella the news that even he did not want to accept.

'No…' Stella murmured. She refuse to accept the fact that they had to let little Kristine go, let her go to a place where they would not see her again.

'Stella.' Mac said, as he tilted her head gently to look into his blue eyes. We shouldn't force her to stay here. She's not really here anymore.'

'Why Kristine, Mac? Why our daughter? What will we tell Charlie? He loved his sister so much. How do you explain it to him?' Stella asked.

'I don't know, Stella, I really don't know.' Mac answered as Stella started crying.

_*Letting Go*_

'I'm ready.' Stella said softly, her hand still running through her daughter's hair gently. She knew she needed to let her go, but she really did not want to.

Mac nodded. He did not trust his voice to speak. He had seen a lot of death in his jobs, both as a marine and as a crime scene investigator, but today, he just found out the true meaning of the word.

It was different when it happened to another person, you would tell them that everything was going to be alright, that you would get through this, but when it happened to you, you wouldn't know what to do. Losing Claire on 9/11 was already bad enough, now that Kristine was going as well, the pain was unbearable.

Walking over to the life support that was keeping Kristine alive, Mac looked at it. A piece of machine was all that was keeping his daughter alive. When it had been switched off, Kristine had the choice to go, or stay. Deep down, he knew that Kristine would go, but somehow, he kept wishing for a miracle.

Little Charlie came into the room, brought over by Lindsay. The rest of the team had said goodbye to the girl that had stole their hearts from them, and her best friend Lucy had been crying the entire time. Only Mac, Stella and Charlie were left to say goodbye.

Charlie was only five, and he did not understand what the word death meant. He walked over to his sister and said goodbye cheerfully. When Kristine failed to reply, Charlie looked at his parents in confusion.

'She's sleeping, Charlie. Why don't you go and give your sister a kiss?' Mac told him, as Stella ruffled his hair. A smile brightened young Charlie's face as he gave his sister a sloppy, wet kiss on her cheek. Lindsay took him back out, leaving Stella and Mac in the room together.

Tucking in the edges of the blanket, Stella once again looked at the small face in front of her. The small pale face lying there with the long lashes on the eyelids that were covering her brilliant green eyes, so much like her own. Her chest was rising and falling rhythmically, following the rhythm of the machine. She took one last mental image of little Kristine of her face peaceful, and stored it firmly in her mind.

Mac did the same thing as Stella, thoughts running through his mind. He had always thought that Kristine would have a bright future in front of her, and he was ready to shoo off any boy that came into a ten - mile radius of his daughter. He longer needed to worry about that, but he would rather worry all his life, than to have Kristine leave them at the tender age of seven.

'Goodbye, Kristine. You would always be my baby girl. I love you.' Mac said softly.

'Goodbye, Kristine. I would always love you.' Stella said, her voice cracking at the end.

They went over to the life support, and with their hands trembling, switched off the life support. Stella kept her hands on one of Kristine's hands, Mac holding on to another. After a bit, the realization of lost kicked in, as the Kristine's pulse slowed down gradually, until it was completely gone. Kristine's chest stopped rising, and her heart stopped beating. She had left them, and entered another world.

Mac and Stella started crying again as they found a small amount of comfort in each other's arms. Little Charlie came back in, and was confuse with why his parents were crying. He walked over, and the three were enveloped in a big hug. The road of recovery in front of them would not be easy, but they all knew if they stayed together, they would heal in time.


End file.
